EXCLUSIVE
EXCLUSIVE
In the annals of modern aviation, few tragedies have left as indelible a mark as the mysterious disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.
For KS Narendran and Danica Weeks, two among many who lost loved ones in the calamity, the past ten years have been a journey of grief, advocacy, and profound introspection.
The MH370 incident, which occurred on 8 March 2014, claimed 239 souls and continues to haunt the collective consciousness. However, for Narendran, Danica, and others like them, the anguish is deeply personal.
"From very early on, it was clear to me that there were two parts — one, a personal element — a tragedy that has befallen my family, and the families of other passengers and crew on board MH370.”
"The second — a matter of public interest — a subject of investigation to uncover what happened," Narendran told SAYS in a recent interview.
As the years passed, Narendran, a Chennai-based management consultant, grappled with the loss of his wife of 25 years, Chandrika Sharma, and the labyrinthine complexities of aviation safety investigations.
Narendran and his wife, Chandrika.
"Sense-making, grieving the loss, and acceptance [were] made harder in the swirl of mystery and the absence of answers," he observes.
Life After MH370 by KS Narendran
Issues of profitability and liability, compensation, brand and reputation, national security, geopolitical alignments, and so much more are at stake," he added.
In his book, Life After MH370, Narendran bares his soul, chronicling the tumultuous journey through grief and the quest for closure.
Narendran met his wife during their college years, and they remained
married
for 25 years.
"No one can dictate the pace or duration of grieving and mourning. Each of us, I believe, will know when that phase is ending," he said.
Through his advocacy work and engagement with organisations like Voice 370, Narendran endeavours to keep the memory of MH370 alive while demanding accountability from the authorities.
Yet, amid the anguish and advocacy, Narendran finds solace in small moments of grace and human kindness.
"Life sucks. Life is beautiful. Life is short. Nothing matters and every moment is precious. It is in our hands to approach it with a light touch or make heavy weather of it," he shared.
As the world marks a decade since the tragedy, Narendran's message resonates with a simple yet profound urgency:
"MH370 is the story of a missing plane about which we, after 10 years, still know very little... This goes beyond finding answers or finding the plane for the families’ sake."
Narendran’s favourite photo of Chandrika.
8 March 2014
MH370 disappears from radar screens less than an hour after taking off from KLIA
9 March 2014
Search and rescue efforts begin in the South China Sea, where the aircraft was last detected
15 March 2014
Satellite data indicates that the aircraft flew south over the Indian Ocean, prompting the search area to be shifted
24 March 2014
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announces that MH370 ended its journey in the southern Indian Ocean and there were no survivors
April 2014
The Australian-led search effort in the southern Indian Ocean begins, becoming one of the largest search operations in history
July 2015
A piece of debris, later confirmed to be from MH370, washes up on the island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean
January 2017
The official search for MH370 is suspended after covering 120,000 square kilometers without success
January 2018
A private search by technology company Ocean Infinity begins on a "no find, no fee" basis but fails to locate the aircraft
March 2019
Transport Minister Anthony Loke announces that the government is open to resuming the search if credible new evidence emerges
Present
The search for MH370 remains suspended, with sporadic efforts to locate the aircraft or debris continuing as new leads or information emerge
For Danica, who lost her then-husband Paul, her journey has been defined by a profound evolution in perspective.
"Initially, I held the belief that the Malaysian government had our best interests at heart," she shared with SAYS.
“[However], I'm frustrated that the search for MH370 hasn't resumed or been discussed since the last search concluded in 2017,” she added.
Paul Weeks pictured with his two sons, Lincoln and Jack, in 2013.
She stressed that the search is vital not only for the families of the passengers but also for the safety of the entire flying public.
"The possibility of another MH370 incident occurring is a stark reality, and it appears to have faded into oblivion," she remarked.
Despite grappling with anger, frustration, and hopelessness over not knowing what happened to Paul, Danica says she remains strong in raising their two children.
“I don’t feel I’ve coped, as [I'm] always tethering on the edge of spiralling into a dark place as every memory of Paul is marred with MH370. But I also know that wherever Paul is, he is proud of who Lincoln and Jack have become and how they have navigated this tragedy,” said Danica, who lives in Queensland, Australia.
For the past 10 years, Danica has exhausted all avenues to get to the truth, but to no avail.
Ultimately, she says, the onus is on the Malaysian government to renew its commitment in locating the aircraft.
“Despite all my efforts to seek answers from various sources, I remain no closer to understanding what transpired on 8 March 2014. All I want is [for] them to be found, Paul home, closure, peace and to know that another plane won’t just disappear like MH370 so other people will never have to endure what we have and continue to do,” she said.
In the labyrinth of grief and advocacy, Narendran and Danica’s unwavering resolve stands as a beacon of hope — a testament to the enduring power of love, resilience, and the relentless pursuit of truth.